In the end, Luce somehow agrees to doing them both. Lopunny wasn't too interested in fighting in the gym anyways, knowing her horrible type disadvantage.

"Entry Number 1, LUCE and Fighter!"

He's got to say, now that Lopunny's evolved, it's much easier to put on the 'tough' look for Visual appeals. The scarf from mom's still working like a charm, and Barry sent over a whole slew of Poffins by express mail the second he heard the news.

(Somehow, Barry's found Thorton? And... Anabel? What? Isn't that the Faller Anabel?? He sent a very confusing picture on a postcard and he's in swim trunks with a wrestling mask on his face oh wow is he cleaning Pastoria Gym??)

And Dawn also sent over a huge parcel. Apparently, she'd found stuff in the Underground, accessories and props, and sometimes spheres and gemstones that she had sent to crafters to commission polished jewellery(??) and now she's sent over a bunch just for Lopunny to wear.

(She'd also sent over a picture of her wearing the blue scarf Luce had gotten for her. The Manaphy Egg is still resting, warm in the incubator in her hands, as she slumps against the hordes of huge plushies Luce had also sent down to her.)

Lopunny giggles, raising two pink gemstone and sphere-studded bangles. There's some in her size, and a matching pair for Luce.

Luce finds a wrestling mask in the package Barry sent them. It's extravagant and fancily-decorated, and an idea comes into his mind that sounds more embarrassing than it might be functional.

But well. If it works.

-

Buying the bright pink Cyber Jacket in the Veilstone Boutique was a good idea.

It had a manufacturing error that made it a weird colour and its sleeves weren't quite even, but a bit of sewing magic from the local seamstress and the sleeves came off to make a brand new coat for Lopunny.

Combined with the rather extravagant pink crystal bangles and a mask depicting Empoleon crowns pulled over their faces— well, how do they not make an impression?

They soared right over the competition in the Visual Competition. Dance was just as easy even with Luce's injured foot.

He's on a roll, and he knows it.

Lopunny shines on the stage.

(Honestly, Luce doesn't know if he wants to be a trainer or a coordinator, or neither. He can't decide. It's in the very same indecision that he chooses to do both in one night.)

(Lopunny shines on the stage. He loves shining alongside her, it's in his blood, and even away from his friends he knows they're cheering from him. He knows his mother is smiling at him, proudly, wherever she's watching him.)

(But he feels complete in a Gym, fighting beside Barry, too.)

(And yet, he feels most at peace when he's wandering the world aimlessly, simply taking in the sights and the Pokemon. Just like Dawn, he desires to simply enjoy without a grand and loud passion. Simply travelling the world full of strange and fascinating creatures called Pokemon— doesn't everyone dream of that?)

(He wants to do them all. He wonders if he can. He wonders if that's too much.)

(But he won't worry about that now.)

(For now— he'll simply thrive, dancing to Lopunny's tune, a single walking stick between their strange tapping waltz, smiles on their faces so wide their cheeks may soon split their faces apart ear to ear and they would revel in their joy even then.)

-

"Kid, are you slacking off on your— what the hell is all that."

Crasher Wake steps into the employee rest area to see an absolute cheering squad assembled in front of the TV, all his employees including Gym Guide Jim wearing the stuff they used to wear in the cheering squad when Wake was still in the fighting ring.

Barry even had poppers and megaphones, screaming incessantly in some improvised chant as the Dance Contest music played. Ponyta is hopping along on the wrong beat. Prinplup and the Shiny Ralts are having a very stern conversation about the contestants' performances. Staravia is sleeping on Thorton's machinery.

Do they need to be reminded that they're currently in the back room of the Gyms? Dear Almighty, no wonder the Marsh Pokemon have taken to peek in.

"Oh Master Wake!" Barry beams, "look! Luce is on TV! He's my best friend!"

"Crasher Wake, sir! Hope you don't mind us recycling your old junk!" Jim calls. "But this boy's amazing! They're crushing the competition!"

"I haven't been this hyped since you were on prime time TV ages ago!"

"He's participating in the Tough competition pink as cotton candy! Can you believe it?! Even Master Coordinator Jasmine doesn't go so far with the incongruence!"

"Yeah, she's cute, but her Pokemon are terrifying. This kid's going with a Lopunny! Oh Arcy I want to see him kick ass so bad."

"I mean, the Shiny Lopunny already stands out a lot."

Barry's wearing Wake's old wrestling mask and it looks very embarrassing.

But then again, Luce is wearing one too (most likely one of the imitations from the cheering squad), and somehow Luce is wearing it well. Maybe because that old thing was embarrassingly Seaking themed and thus it fit the fluttery, flamboyant look that contest participants were going for— but still, what the hell.

"So... that's your pal?" Wake asks. "The one you raided the bakery to cook Poffins for, yesterday?"

"Yep! Luce! And Fighter, I have mastered the art of making her Poffins so sour they're inedible to anyone except her."

"...just asking, do you hate the bunny?"

"I hate her with my very soul! Also, holy crap she evolved and looks twice as cool now! What the hell!"

Thorton is still here, with a laptop on to continue his research, while Anabel sits somewhere in the middle of the crowd with a Lopunny fan in her hand to show her dry-eyed support, Munchlax by her side.

Well, at least this keeps his workers busy. They've been whining for a while because Wake hasn't been going on any fighting TV shows in a long time.

-

"I must say. Your secret base is very acceptable, Tina."

Caitlyn drinks the tea very elegantly in the room. Darach's gotten a very nice table down here as they all crowd around the TV.

Dawn's not listening to her compliments, though. Her eyes are glued to the TV, sitting so close her father would scold her if he could see it.

"Nooo, who did the stitching. Who did the dye job? They look so cool but why wasn't I the one making them," she sounds like she's going to cry, "I missed out on making his contest costumes AGAIN—"

She squeezing Luxio in her lap and Kadabra in her arms, Cleffa on her head and Grotle snoring to the side with Shellos traversing his back. She's also completely shrouded by a large Red Gyarados pillow. It's a very daunting sight.

Luce is in the Appeal Rounds now, though, since it's the Tough category, 'beating each other up because the first to lose isn't all that tough after all' is a perfectly valid tactic.

In that regard, there's no way Luce will ever fall behind.

"I must say, using a Lopunny for the Tough category isn't too tactical. Moves usually perceived as 'Tough' aren't often naturally learned by them," Darach says. "I suppose there are Hidden Machine, but it would be tough to get through the contest with just Rock Smash. Perhaps if he had the license to use 'Strength'..."

"Even then," Cailtyn says, "two moves is only half of what the Contest requires."

"Fighter has Fling, I think," Dawn says. "I wanted to find the Focus Punch Technical Machine, but I've been digging so much and it's just nowhere. I think he'll be fine in the Great rank contests this time, because Lopunny's now evolved... but I really want to get it before he tries the next level."

Just then, Lopunny lands a Low Kick on the opponents' Graveler, knocking it right out. She leaps right back to Luce, a flamboyant somersault to a proud arms-crossed grin by Luce's side. And Luce gives her an obliging rub on the head for her efforts.

"He'll be fine," Cailtyn says.

"Do Lopunny naturally learn Low Kick?" Darach's bewildered. Then when Lopunny does her next move, "wait, is that Headbutt?"

Lopunny smashes her head right into a Vigoroth's with a loud feral growl and somehow it is Vigoroth that falls back and collapses. Lopunny snarls at the last remaining Snubbul on the field and it flinches.

"Oh, I know that one," Dawn says, "Luce wrote about it! She learned it when she was a Buneary, because she kept quarreling with Barry. It bruised his forehead for days!"

Bertha chuckles. "This Luce and Barry must be so interesting, for you to be so absorbed in talking about them."

And Dawn immediately reacts with inflated enthusiasm, spinning around, "of course! Luce always works so hard, and he's doing so many things even though he can't give verbal commands! That's the coolest thing!"

Darach smiles at that. "He must be very dear to you, if you speak of him so highly."

"Dear to—" Dawn balks, cheeks flushing, "uhm, I guess? I don't really have friends my age, so Luce and Barry are all I've got. I suppose I'm just a little clingy to them."

She toys with her fingers, deep in thought, gazing at the screen as the Dance section ends and Luce is announced as the leading contestant. The camera pans over to his face, bright and smiling so childishly— it's clear he's enjoying himself, and that happiness is contagious even down here in the underground.

"I'm just so happy to see my friends be happy," Dawn says.

She knows, deep inside, that her bond with Barry and Luce can never compare to the bond Barry and Luce have with each other. It's not something she wants to get in the way of, though she'll be lying if she says she's not envious.

She's just content where she is, because she knows her place, and she doesn't quite have strong desires to become anything at all. She's content, as she is, simply traveling the world at her own pace, without being tied to any connections.

"Is that really enough for you?" Caitlyn asks.

Maybe not.

Dawn chuckles, "yes!"

She will always be the third piece to their pair. Honestly, she's grateful to even be considered a part of them at all, so she doesn't want to ruin what they have now.

"I want to support both of them, to my best of my abilities," Dawn says, "whether it's giving Luce some clothes, or helping Barry check Honey Trees... I want them to know they're loved and supported every step of the way."

She cradles the Bibarel doll in her arms.

And I like to feel loved, too, she doesn't voice, but she swoons to herself. Being perceived as capable, being trusted with someone else's adoration— it's a privilege, one she can't quite get or give enough of.

-

Monferno holds onto Luce's bag while the Contest goes on, a bag slung over with his valuables, items... even the Vs Recorder, and even his Pokedex. He steps out to the Veilstone cityscape during the intermission.

Maylene's got less of a crowd today in the gym, because of the contest, but it doesn't mean she's got a free night. She's preparing for her fight with Luce, that's scheduled for the last slot at midnight.

Moferno sniffs at the air, sighing deeply. Psyduck came out a while ago for a walk, but now she's probably gotten lost on her way back. (Which, can't blame her, Veilstone is such a confusing and sparkling location.)

Snover's babysitting Togepi now, with Duskull with them. They're probably with Fantina, cheering Luce on. Monferno's so jealous, he wants to be there too.

He should hurry. Psyduck will probably cry if she's left lost too long. She'll eventually remember how to sense Monferno with her psychic powers, but Monferno will have to be somewhere not in a crowd for her to be able to locate him. (So maybe if he waits out here long enough, she'll figure it out? Yeah, let's just do that. Moferno doesn't have the energy to go on a Psyduck hunt today.)

Come to think of it, didn't the Pokedex have a radar thing? It might help him find Pokemon hiding out in any alleys and such, that'll be useful...

"Oh? Hey there, little thing. You're holding something interesting, where'd you get it?"

Monferno turns around sharply to find a human man, standing over him in an ugly uniform that unfortunately looks very, very familiar. The face is familiar too.

"Ah, I knew I'd seen you before," Saturn says, looking around, "well, your trainer, that pathetic little wimp... they certainly aren't around..."

He crouches down, simpering.

A hand reaches out, but it's anything but an offer— it's a demand. "It's okay, I'll return it to your owner for you. Give it over, I just want to take a look."

Monferno closes the Pokedex in his hands, holding it closer to himself.

No.

This person hurt Luce. This person defeated Monferno without even trying, last time. He knows he can't defeat this person and that makes his entire body freeze, despite himself. He's supposed to be a Fighting Type! He can't cower!

But Saturn's smile morphs into a scowl at Monferno's defiance and all the fight leaves him once again. Never has an expression sent such visceral fear of the wild right back into his senses like this.

"I'm not a very patient man, you dumb chimp. Hand it over."

Monferno can see it in those scary, threatening eyes. Eyes that scream this is a predator, and if Monferno doesn't make himself scarce right this instant, you will become the prey. Do you think you can avoid being devoured?

Monferno takes off running. He can't be defeated yet, not while he's holding so many of Luce's important things.

There's a distinct sigh behind him.

"What an infuriating creature. This is why I hate stupid strays," the man grumbles. "Toxicroak, go get it."

-

"Oh no, oh no! The contest is ending any second now—" Maylene huffs, jogging through the roads, eyeing her Poketch as Fantina sends her updates. "Looks like I'm going to miss Luce's final Performance Round after all... what a shame, Tough competitions are usually a battle at the end, so I wanted to see that Lopunny fight! It looked strong, too..."

Maylene had finally gotten a break between her gym battles tonight, but crossing the street toward the Pokemon Centre she finds a worrying amount of blood spilled across the road—

—and she stops, terrified of what it could mean.

She pauses in her run, following the trail of blood– and it's horrible. As if something had been struck horribly against the wall, (and wasn't the splatter of blood against that wall a gruesome sight...) but then it pushed on forward, one step after the next, trying to desperately escape.

As if something had been dragging their worn and severely injured body, as far as they could.

Something had been assaulted. In her very streets.

On a day where there were too little people in the town roads to look out for incidents like these. On a day she just happened to be shortstaffed on security and patrols.

(Please no. Please no— please, don't tell me someone died—-)

Maylene hasn't been a Gym Leader for long.

(But this will probably haunt her as her biggest misstep as a Gym Leader thus far.)

It's a Monferno.

He lays, sprawled weakly against the corner of the alley, blood staining the bag— Luce's bag— around his shoulders. Worryingly, he's not moving at all.

It seems Psyduck has found Monferno first, prodding at Monferno's side desperately, tears in her eyes, trying to wake him up. Psyduck lifts her head to find Maylene, eyes wide with horror—

—and Maylene finally wrenches out of her panic.

"M- Monferno! You're Luce's Monferno!" she calls, terrified.

She slides down to the ground, reaching out— but crashes, fist into an invisible wall, full and high and disallowing her from coming within a feet radius of the poor injured Monferno. Psyduck's eyes gleam a mindful, delirious pink, and her limbs shudder as a growl bubble through her throat.

Maylene stares, perhaps a moment too long, and Psyduck honks a warning so loud and booming Maylene jerks back in alarm.

"Wha— Psyduck? Why— I'm Maylene, the local Gym Leader! You know me, right?" she pleads. "Let me help! He needs to go to the Pokemon Center, right now!"

Psyduck is angry.

Even though it's clear Maylene's not responsible for those injuries— she's so angry, she doesn't understand that Maylene means no harm. She doesn't trust anyone.

(Oh, how Maylene wishes she could communicate with Pokemon, just like how Luce talks with Monferno, so easily.)

(But she doesn't know sign language. And Psyduck has no interest in attempting a psychic connection, not that she'll have enough fine-tuning to control it without breaking the recipient's mind anyways.)

(But it would be so useful now.)

"I should have brought Rio with me..." Oh, if only Lucario didn't insist on staying back to watch the Gym...But now's not the time to regret. "Psyduck, stay here, alright? I'll... I'll go find Luce. Or at least the Snover."

Psyduck barks, even louder than before, and Maylene yelps this time.

Clearly, the Psyduck doesn't want her going anywhere. Especially not to bother Luce, who's currently busy trying to win a Contest, having fun—

Who would do this? Now, and why?

...what's the motive? Why Monferno? Crime rates aren't high in Veilstone... there's no reason to burgle a Pokemon just for money or valuables.

Monferno couldn't have been holding anything too valuable...

"That's right!" she perks up. "The Pokedex! Does Monferno still have the Pokedex?"

Psyduck pauses at that, turning her gaze from furious to understanding. Suddenly the barrier lowers and Maylene stumbles through it. She doesn't hesitate to rush forward, to Monferno's side—

—to find Monferno's hands all cut up, claws through, clear signs of poison in laboured breathing— she turns Monferno on his back and cradles him in her arms.

(He must have been holding onto the Pokedex, so tightly... but it was wrenched away in the end...)

Maylene squeezes her eyes shut as she takes a breath to compose herself.

(Who could do such a horrible thing...?)

"I'll have to bring him to a Center. Psyduck—"

Psyduck's walking away.

Maylene's baffled. She really doesn't understand what these Pokemon are thinking. Why is she going, where? And what has she realized? She's not going to cause more harm to people who she thinks did it, right? Maylene feels sorry for her, but she can't let that happen, what if she hurts someone innocent? First Maylene has to get the police involved, run an investigation—

Monferno jerks awake with a loud yelp, and Maylene squawks in surprise.

Eyes bulging and horrified, Monferno scrambles out of Maylene's arms, toward the bag, before frantically shuffling around the nearby ground and corners— he doesn't find what he's searching for.

Lifting his head, he finds Psyduck.

And Psyduck looks back, eyes still gleaming that dangerous, dangerous pink. Slowly gleaming, leaving trails of light in its wake.

The signs of a psychic type, ready to overdrive.

(Maylene needs to put a stop to this. Before Psyduck loses control and destroys the town and the entire landscape, she's seen it happen before— but what can she do? Fantina would know what to do...)

Monferno's face scrunches up with realisation. A grim, fearful realisation— and, on his knees, a whimper escapes his throat. His eyes fill with tears— and Monferno sobs, wailing loud and desperate, fingers curling over something that is no longer in his hands.

"Ah— Spitfire?!" Maylene panics.

Monferno is still young.

"It's okay," she tries, pulling Monferno close, "it's okay, it's okay." She tries to console him, but she doesn't think it's working. "It's okay. Luce won't get mad at you. It's okay. So please... don't cry..."

That's not the problem.

Maylene turns back toward Psyduck, but she's gone.

Her stomach drops in dread.

She picks up Monferno quickly, scooping up the bag while she's at it— and makes a mad run for the Pokemon Center, ignoring the blood seeping through her clothes, dripping down her arms, and focuses only on the slowly quieting sobs of the Monferno in her arms.

One problem at a time.

(Panic about one problem at a time.)